The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Ameriac ^ | December 25, 2006

[Kolokotronis]

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Kontakion in the Third Tone

Today, the Virgin bears Him who is transcendent, and the earth presents the cave to Him who is beyond reach. Angels, along with shepherds glorify Him. The Magi make their way to Him by a star. For a new child has been born for us, the God before all ages.

Synaxarion:

The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).

Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstace constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).

But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).

[Kolokotronis]

ΚΑΛΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ!

[Kolokotronis]

Nativity Ping. CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

[353FMG]

That's why I became a FR. You guys really know what Christmas is all about. Gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling. Have a blessed one.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

On the Night of Nativity
St. Ephraim the Syrian

Pure is the present night, in which the Pure One appeared, Who came to purify us! Let our hearing be pure, and the sight of our eyes chaste, and the feeling of the heart holy, and the speech of the mouth sincere!

The present night is the night of reconciliation; therefore, let no one be wroth against his brother and offend him!

This night gave peace to the whole world, and so, let no one threaten. This is the night of the Most Meek One; let no one be cruel!

This is the night of the Humble One; let no one be proud!

Now is the day of joy; let us not take revenge for offences! Now is the day of good will; let us not be harsh. On this day of tranquility, let us not become agitated by anger!

Today God came unto sinners; let not the righteous exalt himself over sinners!

Today the Most Rich One became poor for our sake; let the rich man invite the poor to his table!

Today we received a gift which we did not ask for; let us bestow alms to those who cry out to us and beg!

The present day has opened the door of heaven to our prayers; let us also open our door to those who ask of us forgiveness!

Today the Godhead placed upon Himself the seal of humanity, and humanity has been adorned with the seal of the Godhead!

[katnip]

Make glad, O righteous!
Greatly rejoice, O heavens! O mountains, dance for joy!
Christ is born, and like the cherubim the Virgin makes a throne,
carrying at her bosom the Word made flesh!
Shepherds glorify the new-born Child!
Magi offer the Master gifts! Angels sing praises, saying:
“O Lord, beyond all understanding, glory to Thee!”
– Nativity Matins

Thank you dear Kolokotronis and to all Christian Freepers today! Merry Christmas!

[kosta50]

Kala Hristougenna

Воистину родился!

Truly He is born!

[PetroniusMaximus]

Merry Christmas Kolokotronis!

[onedoug]

If God had so tired of mankind, as in Genesis 6, might he rather have allowed the Jesus of the antisemitic Gospels to have become Christ, so to eventually open the founding of America?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Blessed be that Child, Who gladdened Bethlehem to-day! Blessed be the Babe Who made manhood young again to-day! Blessed be the Fruit, Who lowered Himself to our famished state! Blessed be the Good One, Who suddenly enriched our necessitousness and supplied our needs! Blessed He Whose tender mercies made Him condescend to visit our infirmities!

Praise to the Fountain that was sent1 for our propitiation. Praise be to Him Who made void the Sabbath by fulfilling it! Praise too to Him Who rebuked the leprosy and it remained not, Whom the fever saw and fled! Praise to the Merciful, Who bore our toil! Glory to Thy coming, which quickened the sons of men!

Glory to Him, Who came to us by His first-born! Glory to the Silence,2 that spake by His Voice. Glory to the One on high, Who was seen by His Day-spring! Glory to the Spiritual, Who was pleased to have a Body, that in it His virtue might be felt, and He might by that Body show mercy on His household's bodies!

Glory to that Hidden One, Whose Son was made manifest! Glory to that Living One, Whose Son was made to die! Glory to that Great One, Whose Son descended and was small! Glory to the Power Who did straiten His greatness by a form, His unseen nature by a shape! With eye and mind we have beheld Him, yea with both of them.

Glory to that Hidden One, Who even with the mind cannot be felt at all by them that pry into Him; but by His graciousness was felt by the hand of man! The Nature that could not be touched, by His hands was bound and tied, by His feet was pierced and lifted up. Himself of His own will He embodied for them that took Him.

Blessed be He Whom free will crucified, because He let it: blessed be He Whom the wood also did bear, because He allowed it. Blessed be He Whom the grave bound, that had [thereby] a limit set it. Blessed be He Whose own will brought Him to the Womb and Birth, to arms and to increase [in stature]. Blessed He whose changes purchased life for human nature.3

Blessed He Who sealed our soul, and adorned it and espoused it to Himself. Blessed He Who made our Body a tabernacle for His unseen Nature. Blessed He Who by our tongue interpreted His secret things. Let us praise that Voice whose glory is hymned with our lute, and His virtue with our harp. The Gentiles have assembled and have come to hear His strains.

Glory to the Son of the Good One, Whom the sons of the evil one rejected! Glory to the Son of the Just One, Whom the sons of wickedness crucified! Glory to Him Who loosed us, and was bound for us all! Glory to Him Who gave the pledge, and redeemed it too! Glory to the Beautiful, Who conformed us to His image! Glory to that Fair One, Who looked not to our foulnesses!

Glory to Him Who sowed His Light in the darkness,4 and was reproached in His hidden state, and covered His secret things. He also stripped and took off from us the clothing of our filthiness.5 Glory be to Him on high, Who mixed His salt6 in our minds, His leaven in our souls. His Body became Bread, to quicken our deadness.

Praise to the Rich, Who paid for us all, that which He borrowed not;7 and wrote [His bill], and also became our debtor! By His yoke He brake from us the chains of him that led us captive. Glory to the Judge Who was judged, and made His Twelve to sit in judgment on the tribes, and by ignorant men condemned the scribes of that nation!

Glory to Him Who could never be measured by us! Our heart is too small for Him, yea our mind is too feeble. He makes foolish our littleness by the riches of His Wisdom. Glory to Him, Who lowered Himself, and asked;8 that He might hear and learn that which He knew; that He might by His questions reveal the treasure of His helpful graces!

Let us adore Him Who enlightened with His doctrine our mind, and in our hearing sought a pathway for His words. Praise we Him Who grafted into our tree His fruit. Thanks to Him Who sent His Heir, that by Him He might draw us to Himself, yea make us heirs with Him! Thanks to that Good One, the cause of all goods!

Blessed He Who did not chide, because that He was good! Blessed He Who did not spurn, because that He was just also! Blessed He Who was silent, and rebuked; that He might quicken us with both! Severe His silence and reproachful. Mild His severity even When He was accusing; for He rebuked the traitor, and kissed the thief.

Glory to the hidden Husbandman of our intellects! His seed fell on to our ground, and made our mind rich. His increase came an hundredfold into the treasury of our souls! Let us adore Him Who sat down and took rest; and walked in the way, so that the Way was in the way, and the Door also for them that go in,9 by which they go in to the kingdom.

Blessed the Shepherd Who became a Lamb for our reconcilement! Blessed the Branch Who became the Cup of our Redemption! Blessed also be the Cluster, Fount of medicine of life! Blessed also be the Tiller, Who became Wheat, that He might be sown; and a Sheaf,10 that He might be cut![Blessed be] the Architect Who became a Tower for our place of safety!11 Blessed He Who so tempered the feelings of our mind,12 that we with our harp should sing that which the winged creatures' mouth knows not with its strains to sing! Glory to Him, Who beheld how we had pleased to be like to brutes in our rage and our greediness; and came down and was one of us, that we might become heavenly!

Glory be to Him, Who never felt the need of our praising Him; yet felt the need as being kind to us, and thirsted13 as loving us, and asks us to give to Him, and longs to give to us. His fruit was mingled with us men, that in Him we might come nigh to Him, Who condescended to us. By the Fruit of His stem He grafted us into His Tree.

Let us praise Him, Who prevailed and quickened us by His stripes! Praise we Him, Who took away the curse by His thorns! Praise we Him Who put death to death by His dying! Praise we Him, Who held His peace and justified us! Praise we Him, Who rebuked death that had overcome us! Blessed He, Whose helpful graces cleansed out the left side!14

Praise we Him Who watched and put to sleep him that led us captive. Praise we Him Who went to sleep, and chased our deep sleep away. Glory be to God Who cured weak manhood! Glory be to Him Who was baptized, and drowned our iniquity in the deep, and choked him15 that choked us! Let us glorify with all our mouths the Lord of all creatures!

Blessed be the Physician Who came down and amputated without pain, and healed wounds with a medicine that was not harsh. His Son became a Medicine, that showed sinners mercy. Blessed be He Who dwelt in the womb, and wrought therein a perfect Temple, that He might dwell in it, a Throne that He might be in it, a Garment that He might be arrayed in it, and a Weapon that He might conquer in it.

Blessed be He Whom our mouth cannot adequately praise, because His Gift is too great for skill of orators [to tell]; neither can the faculties adequately praise His goodness. For praise Him as we may, it is too little.

And since it is useless to be silent and to constrain ourselves, may our feebleness excuse such praise as we can sing.

How gracious He, Who demands not more than our strength can give! How would Thy servant be condemned in capital and interest, did he not give such as he could, and did he refuse that which He owed! Ocean of glory Who needest not to have Thy glory sung, take in Thy goodness this drop of praise; since by Thy Gift Thou hast supplied my tongue a sense for glorifying Thee.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

[dsc]

What's the difference between Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox?

[kosta50]

What's the difference between Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox?

Theologically, none. Different Orthodox Churches have their own cultural and historical markers, language, slight variations of vestments, even external praxis and non-canonical parts of the Divine Liturgy (for example, the Greeks don't use the Beatitudes in the Third Antiphon).

The reason why all Orthodox can commune in any Orthodox church, regardless which Patriarchy they are from, is because all particular Churches that form the Orthodox Church community profess the same faith. Communion is the expression of, and not a means of establishing, theological union.

[kosta50]

One more thing: Russian, Serbian and few other Orthodox Churches (i.e. Jerusalem, Mt. Athos, etc.) use the Old (Julian) Calendar. The Greek Church and most other Orthodox Churches use the so-called "New" Calendar which is sometimes erroneously called "Gregorian."

The change occurred in 1923 under the Ecumenical Patriarch Meletius (Metaxakis), a satanic character, heretic, and a Freemason who on his own implemented the "Revised Julian Calendar" which will for the next few centuries correspond to a very close proximity to the Gregorian calendar, but eventually will diverge from it.

His decision to change was not approved by an all-Orthodox Synod, so the decision was un-canonical. The reason for the change is also suspect. The "Old Calendar" served the Church for 2,000 years quite well, so no particular urgency existed to drop it. However, the heretic EP Meletios (who has yet to be condemned publicly by his successors!) did this as part of his satanic drive to "westernize" the Orthodox Church. He armwrestled those churches that belong to him (the Church of Greece, GOARCH, etc.) to accept his changes; many others, for various political and other reasons followed suit for. hese canges, in addition to the Calendar included clean-shaven Orthodox clergy and Catholic-like or Anglican-like ("dog") collars, among other things.

He even unilaterally "recognized" Anglican ordinations and proclaimed Orthodox-Anglican "re-union." He created quite a stir in America, where the jurisdiction of the Orthodox was under the Russian Patriarch, taking advantage of the October Revolution in Russia, to wrestle control of American Orthodox, establishing the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America.

The heretic EP Meletios also grabbed control of the Finnish Orthodox Church (formerly under Russian Patriarch), allowing it to celebrate Easter according to the Gregorian Calendar (Easter is still celebrated in Orthodoxy by the Old Calendar by all EO Churches, save for the one in Finland).

He also wanted the exiled Russian Church, which took refuge in Serbia, where it was allowed by the Serbian Church to operate independently there, to be placed under EP's tutelage. The Serbian Church refused, thus saving ROCOR from absorption by a heretic EP. Meletios was an abomination, equal to Nestor, and other heretic Bishops of Constantinople, yet the EPs to this date will not anathematize him or his satanic changes. I was told by one monk of a Greek monastery that the current EP, Bartholomew I, promised personally back in 2003 that he would roll back the changes made by Meletios (I have no independent confirmation of this), including the Calendar, but there seems to be no indication this will happen.

A good rule of thumb is: never trust any Ecumenical Patriarch completely. There were more heretics among them than any other bishops of any other traditional Church (Antioch, Alexandria, etc.)

As for the Calendar, although the majority of Orthodox Churches (save for four or five out of 14) in the world use the New Calendar uncanonically established by a heretic EP Meletios in 1923, the vast majority (85%) of all Orthodox in the world use the Old canonical Calendar (Russians make up about 80% of the world Orthodox).

As a result of Meletios's demonic appearance, and the weakness of some Churches, the Orthodox world now celebrates Christmas and all other feasts (save for Easter) separately. Our Orthodox brethren belonging to the "New Calendar" Churches apparently prefer to celebrate with the hererodox.

No doubt, satan must be exceedingly glad. He rejoices at the disunity and savors knowing how much pain the New Calendar has caused.

[dsc]

Sorry it took me so long to reply.

Here at Chaos Manor we live on the razor's edge of disaster as a matter of routine, and sometimes things don't get done.

Thank you for the information and explanations. I'm not sure I understood it all, but thank you.

[kosta50]

You are welcome. If I can be of any further help, please ping me.